Demon of the Moon
by vivaly12
Summary: Yuuichirou Ichinose is chosen as the sacrifice to the demon when he turns sixteen. Turns out the demon isn't what his father said and is actually quite lonely. Mikaela Shindo, the demon, doesn't kill him and they eventually fall in love. But what of the things restraining their love, like the Hiiragi family and Mikaela's past? I don't own Owari no Seraph! Rated T to be safe
1. Chapter 1: The Sacrifice

Chapter 1: The Sacrifice

"Why are you crying, little one?" the demon asked. The young boy looked up at him and stopped crying. With the full moon that night, the boy could see the demon's bright blonde hair and deep red eyes clearly. The demon quietly waited for an answer while the boy wiped his tears away.

"My mother died today. Father said she was very sick and the doctors couldn't do anything to help her."

"..."

The demon sat down beside him and patted the boy's head gently, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Even though your mother is gone, she is still by your side. Everything will be okay."

"...father isn't."

"He's probably as sad as you are. You both just need some time to move on and you'll both be fine. After all, miracles can happen." The boy was quiet for a moment until he looked at the demon with his large green eyes. "What's your name? Mine is Yuuichirou Ichinose."

"My name is..."

* * *

"...chirou-sama. Yuuichirou-sama. Please you must wake up or your father will be angry," the red-haired woman said. Her name was Mito Jujo and she loyally followed his father. She was both his bodyguard and teacher. Unfortunately, she was also burdened with making him go to sleep at night and waking him in the morning. Yuu yawned an rubbed his eyes.

"Is something happening today...?"

"Yes! The Hiiragis are coming today to speak of business with your father. Guren-sama wants the Ichinose Clan have a good first impression and you must be a part of it. And besides, your sixteenth birthday party shall be held tonight. Everyone is already prepared. All we have to do is await the arrivals of the members of the other clan."

Yuu sighed. And got out of his comfy bed groggily. Mito brought a kimono that was layed out for him on his velvet couch.

"This is what your father wore at his sixteenth birthday. He wants you to wear it. The kimono is meant for boys who will soon become men. You will also be fit to marry a young lady once you turn sixteen today."

Yuu turned away. "What if I don't want to marry?"

Mito sighed. "Unfortunately, there is no way around marriage."

"What about you? Weren't you engaged to dad?"

"Yes, I was. But," she smiled. "I was like you. Wanting to travel the world and become my own person was exactly what I wanted to do, but I soon got married to you-know-who."

"You _do_ love Goshi, right?"

"Of course I do! I was the one who proposed to him, after all."

Mito handed the silk kimono to Yuu and walked towards the door. "Yuuichirou-sama, once you're done changing, please come and have breakfast with us, okay?" she smiled.

Yuu smiled back at her. "Of course."

Mito nodded and closed the door behind her as she left the room. Yuu sighed and scratched the back of his bed. He removed his sleep wear and slipped into the mist-patterned kimono and tied the lavender sash around his waist. He looked at himself in his mirror admiring how the kimono complimented his body. It fit perfectly.

Yuu walked out of his room and towards the staircase. He soon arrived at the main room, where his father was eating their breakfasts. Mito was also there, sitting next to an empty small table. They paid no mind as Yuu quietly sat down and began to eat.

"Yuu," his father said.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. May you live long."

He bowed and Yuu did the same. "Thank you, Father."

Soon after, Mito wishes him happy birthday. He'd for sure have to visit his mother's grave soon. A few hours after their breakfast, the Ichinoses were waiting for the Hiiragis to arrive in the entrance hall. Soon enough, the doors opened. There first in the group was Tenri Hiiragi, head of the Hiiragi clan. Following him was his eldest son, Kureto, with his head held high. His second son, Seishuro, soon followed behind. And the one person Guren didn't want to see, Shinya, the only adopted child in the family. Last but not least, was Shinoa Hiiragi. She was the youngest and now the only girl ever since her older sister, Mahiru, died. They were followed by many guards and servants. The Ichinoses bowed deeply.

"It is an honor to have you here today, Tenri-sama," Guren greeted. Tenri grunted in response. The Ichinoses led the Hiiragis into the main room. They all sat down and Guren motioned his servants to bring in tea and sweets for the visiting clan. They all started some small talk of the writing of poem and the state of the world quietly with each other. Yuu boredly watched as his guardians and the Hiiragis spoke with each other. A servant offered him a cherry blossom-shaped candy and he took it.

Shinoa, whom was sitting in front of him, looked at him and gave him a small smile. Yuu remembered that last time he had saw her. It was two years ago, when the Hiiragis were supposedly having a problem with the Ichinoses. She had grown so much more beautiful and she truly looked like a real woman. Well, of course. She was of age to get married already. But she wasn't the same. This wasn't the same Shinoa that would always annoy and tease Yuu. No. She's changed.

* * *

The two clans soon moved to a more private room. The topics were getting more serious and could not be heard by any other. They left Yuu, Shinoa, Mito, and Shinya in the main room. Surprisingly enough, they also did not allow Shinya to speak with the higher ups. All was quiet until Shinya had spoken, nearly making the others jump since it was so quiet except for the shuffling of servants walking past the main room.

"So how is everyone today? The air has definitely gotten chilly, but I guess you wouldn't let the cold prevent you from having a wonderous festivity."

"We are doing well, Shinya-sama. And yes, after all, it _is_ my master's birthday," Mito responded.

"Yes, of course. Happy birthday, young Yuuichirou." Shinya gently nudged Shinoa to his right and said, "Shinoa-chan, you say happy birthday as well."

Shinoa smiled at Shinya and then looked at Yuu. "Happy birthday, Yuuichirou-sama. I hope all of your wishes come true this year."

"Thank you both very much. It is an honor sitting before two very important Hiiragis," Yuu said.

Shinya chuckled. "My, there's no need to flatter us, but thank you!"

The talking had died down for about half an hour until Mito was called to the meeting since they had needed her to hear what they were speaking of. Shinya and Shinoa sighed, as if they were holding their breaths the whole time. Yuu raised his brow quizzically.

"What were you two doing?"

"Oh, it's fine now, Yuu-kun. We're both alright," Shinya answered.

"That doesn't really answer my question, you know."

"Oh, you don't understand at all how us Hiiragis work. The whole family is so strict and uptight right now." Shinya began loosening his kimono and letting some air to flow. "That feels much better," he sighed.

"Okay, you're sort of confusing me here."

"It's because that 'time' is nearing, Yuu-san," Shinoa answered.

"Oh, that's right..." Yuu said quietly. The last day of the month of October was when an important ritual was to take place. The ritual was to keep a seal on a powerful demon intact or else the demon will be freed and will kill and destroy the humans. It happens every twenty years, but the ritual requires a sixteen year old individual from one of the powerful clans to complete the ritual.

"So that's why."

Shinoa and Shinya nodded.

"But you see... I'm going to get married soon," Shinoa muttered.

"Wha... You are? To who?"

"I'm going to marry Makoto Narumi. You know who that is, right?"

Yuu snorted. "Of course I do. I wouldn't be the son of Guren Ichinose if I didn't know who he is. So you're getting married to him..."

"Yeah. I'm going to marry in February. They've been preparing me for my new life as a supporting wife. They are now teaching me polite language, mannerism, and etiquette. Up until now, I've just been playing around like a child. I should've known that I would become a woman soon."

"By the way, has your father spoken to you about marriage?" Shinya inquired.

Yuu shook his head. "No, he hasn't. Why?"

"Ah, I see..."

"Is something wrong?"

The door to the main room suddenly slid open. It was Kureto. "Brother, sister, come. They are showing us our rooms now." As he said that, he looked scrutinizingly at Yuuichiro who returned the gaze with a stare. Kureto turned as Shinya and Shinoa began to follow him. Soon after, Yuu's father and Mito entered the main room and sat before him.

"So how was the meeting?" he asked.

It was obvious that Mito was looking away and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Though, his father was looking as he always did. Stoic and without emotion.

"Everything went fine. I'll tell you about it later. The Hiiragis will be staying with us for the night. For now, you may rest. Your party won't start until sunset." Guren have him a small smile. "Just relax until it's time, okay, Yuu?"

"Yes, Father." Yuu bowed. "If you'll excuse me now."

"You may be excused."

Yuu then left for his room, recieving many 'happy birthdays' from the servants that past him. Yuu quietly studied and read peoms in his room for about two hours until he heard a knock at the door. It turned out to be Shinya and Shinoa again. He allowed the two Hiiragis entry into his room.

"Wow, you're so studious, Yuu-san. I never knew!" Shinoa exclaimed sarcastically.

"Oh, funny, Shinoa. I plan to become a good heir to either my future wife's clan or my own. I want to be a good leader."

"That's nice. I guess. Hmph, no girl's gonna want you anyways."

"Hey, I'm actually pretty handsome, you know. All the ladies will want me!"

"Trust me, no woman wants a man who screams at the sight of a cockroach."

"That was only once. It appeared out of no where!"

"Right."

Shinya watched as the two continued to argue with each other. He was definitely going to miss the two when they leave. He brushed off the sad thought and looked at the poems Yuu was reading. He held one up and began to read it.

"Yuu-kun, you like Shuusaku Iwasaki's works? That's quite impressive. Most people would be confused at the way he writes."

"Yeah, but if you read carefully in between the lines, he's always talking about love and hate, light and dark. I do enjoy his poems very much. I've been reading them ever since I was eleven."

"'The angel spread his wings, bringing the blinding light of darkness with him. He holds the staff of justice in his hand and he puts an end to all those who did wrong.' I believe he was inspired by the use of angel in the west when he was traveling. After all, he did call this piece 'Seraph of the End.'"

"He was. He said that when he heard of angels, he was captivated by their beauty and stories."

"True, he did. He's a very successful man."

"Hey, have you ever heard of 'The Blood-Drinking Man?' That's another one of his famous poems," Shinoa butted in.

"Yes, I have! He was also inspired by western ways when writing it!"

* * *

The three shared their favorite poets and poems for a long while. Shinya was called during the middle of that time, leaving Shinoa with Yuu in the bedroom. They soon found no other things to talk about so they sat in silence. Shinoa was soon called to her room so that she could get ready for the banquet. Yuu looked out of his window and saw that the heads of the other clans were there. He remembered having his other birthdays, but none of the heads of the other clans came. This signified that one's sixteenth birthday must be the most important time of one's life.

It was almost sunset. A servant came to his room to give him a decorated haori. It was quite plain, but it fit with his kimono. He was soon escorted down to the banquet hall by a group of servants. He saw that there were already so many people, just for his birthday. He walked into the crowd of people, some of which who saw him and bowed to him. He simply nodded at them. He was soon approached by Shinoa and her fiancee.

"Makoto-sama, this is the friend whom I was speaking of, Yuuichirou Ichinose. It's his birthday today."

Makoto smiled at her. "I can see that, dear." He then turned to Yuuichirou and bowed. "Happy sixteenth birthday, Yuuichirou-sama. It is an honor being here today. I believe I saw you and your family at my own sixteenth birthday."

"Yes, my family did attend your sixteenth birthday. It was grand, definitely fit for the next heir of the Narumi Clan."

"Thank you. My family always did love throwing extravagant parties."

Makoto turned and saw that his father was calling him over. "Please excuse me, Yuuichirou-sama, Shinoa-sama."

Yuu and Shinoa watched as his father introduced Makoto to some other important people. They both turned their heads in order to look at each other.

"So do you like the party so far? My dad really wanted the best food within our territories."

"Yes, I am enjoying it. Your father has good taste in food. Obviously one of the best in Japan. Shinya says it's so good he can't help but eat nearly all of it. Unfortunately, the idea went to his head so he got a minor stomache."

"Wow, he really does go all out, huh?"

"Yep."

They soon notice that Makoto was heading back to their direction. "Shinoa-sama, my uncles and a few nobles want to meet you. Would you mind if I took a bit of your time?"

"Of course not," Shinoa said, smiling. She took his hand and they wove through the crowd towards Makoto's group, leaving him alone. Yuu then saw his father walking towards him with Mito and Goshi.

"Hey, Yuu. It's nice to see you again after so long. Damn, can't believe you're already a man today. You grew up so fast!" Goshi exclaimed.

"Yeah, time really does fly. So how are you?" Yuu asked.

"How am I? Why, I'm doing awesome, as always! Things are going swell!"

Guren and Mito glared at him. "Er, well, there are a few problems here and there, but everything's fine," Goshi said nervously. His job was to keep the peace with the other clans in the different parts of Japan. A clan always had an accountant in charge of the economic and political relations with the other clans. Lately, the Ichinoses were not exporting enough food to the Saotome clan, which was causing problems since the agreement was that the Saotome Clan would export weaponry while the Ichinose Clan would export meats, vegetables, and fruits.

Goshi scratched the back of his head and gave the group a cheeky smile. "Anywaays... Happy birthday, Yuu! Hey, since you've become a man today, we can finally do manly things with each other!"

"Oh, well maybe in the future-"

Goshi was suddenly punched in the stomach by Mito and Guren's boot landed hard on Goshi's face. "Ooww! Guys, what was that for!?"

Mito glared at her husband as he grasped his stomach and face in pain. She crossed her arms. "You are not going to teach Yuuichirou-sama how to become a brazen man like you. He will be in charge of the Ichinose Clan when he is older and we want him to be a good person!"

"Aw, Mito, come on, babe! I was just teasing!"

"You call this teasing? I won't allow you to tarnish my son with your ways. He was born with my morals and he has lived with them his whole life," Guren said sharply. "Now man up and stop hurting. You're embarrassing me."

Goshi grumbled and rubbed his stomach. He got a small mirror from his kimono and looked into it, seeing if there were any noticable scratches that would decrease his handsomeness. Luckily, there wasn't anything. Goshi then began to stroke his goatee and then suddenly began posing randomly, still looking at himself in his mirror. Mito sighed in frustration. "Guren-sama, I'll take him away for now," she says as she is almost literally dragging Goshi away.

"Yes, thank you, Mito." Guren turned to Yuu. "You having fun yet? Meet anyone interesting?"

"Well, I just officially met Makoto Narumi a few moments ago. He's Shinoa's fiancee."

"Oh yeah, that's right. News has definitely been flying around. Well, I have to get going. Be sure to be polite to your superiors. Now have fun."

"Yeah thanks, dad."

Yuu spent the majority of his party conversing with many nobles and eating the food. He heard many clan leaders tell him that they've come from many miles away just to see him. Believe it or not, the Ichinose Clan is the third strongest clan. They were so strong and powerful that it would've been considered treason if they didn't attend Yuu's birthday. The party lasted until four o'clock in the morning. Yuu was exhausted when he went back to his room. He couldn't understand how adults were able to stay up that late. Maybe it's because of the sake they drank, who knows? He didn't want to get his haori and kimono dirtied amd wrinkled so he removed the, and layed them on the couch. He quickly changed into his sleeping garments and fell asleep in his bed.

* * *

The next morning, Yuu woke up to the sun high in the sky. He was definitely sure he had awoken late. He spied a pile of boxes wrapped up. It must have been the gifts he had recieved. He knew his next job immediately. Yuu had to open all the presents and write thank you letters to all who brought him a gift. It was always tiring to write the same things to each guest, but because of his upbringing, he was going to do it out of politeness.

It took him about two hours to finish opening and writing letters to each guest. He then noticed a slender box on his table. He must have forgotten that one. It was smaller than the other gifts after all. He looked on all sides of the box, but could find no name.

"Well, that's weird," he said aloud. He pulled the silk ribbon around it and lifted the lid of the box. It was a golden flower. Yuu was even more confused. There was a card inside beside the flower. It was blank on one side so he turned it over. There were words saying, "Language of Flowers: Begonia - Beware" on it. Who would send a gift like this. It was rude for someone to do that. Once again, there was no name that could indicate who had prepared the "gift." He heard a knock at his door. "You may enter," he said. It was Guren.

"Good morning, Father."

"Ha ha, you mean good afternoon? It's way past noon, Yuu. Well, I'm glad you decided to do this without me having to remind you. But anyways, put these things off to the side and come to my room with me. We have to talk about something serious. About you."

"Okay then," Yuu nodded. He put the flower back into the box as well as the card. He followed Guren into his room. He sat in one of the chairs placed before the mahogany table. Guren sat in front of him. Guren sighed loudly. "Yuu, whatever I have to say to you, I don't want you to get upset, okay?"

"I'll try, but it'll depend on what you're telling me."

"What am I going to tell you might as well alter the fate of Japan. This is a very important task, and you've already turned sixteen so it makes sense, but... Yuu. You been chosen as this year's sacrifice to the demon."

"Wait, sacrifice? I'm the sacrifice?"

"Yes. This is why the Hiiragis have visited us during this time. It's all because they have chosen you has the sacrifice."

"But why me? They could've chosen someone else!"

Guren sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. "Listen, this is one of the most important things that will ever happen in your life. You have to accept this task."

Yuu suddenly stood from his chair. "No. No, I don't want to. I can't. There's so many things I want to do, Dad. I want to travel the world and discover new places. I can't just have my life end now! Don't you care about what happens to me?" Yuu said desperately.

Guren gritted his teeth. "Yuu, of course I care what happens, but you need to understand how important this is. All of Japan rests on your decision. The demon is growing hungry. Do you wish to suppress its hunger or allow it to rampage all across Japan! What have I been teaching you your whole life, huh!?"

Yuu fell silent. He remembered. His father would always say, "You have to except your fate, Yuu, or else you won't be going anywhere in life. You might just even hurt someone else."

He bowed his head low in shame. "Father, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. ...I accept this task now. Please, I-"

"That's enough, Yuu."

When Yuu looked up at his father, there were tears in his eyes. Seeing his father like that nearly brought him to tears as well. Guren open his arms, allowing Yuuichirou to hug him. He softly patted Yuuichirou's hair while saying, "You don't know how hard it is to lose your only child. Heh, I'll be all alone when you leave. Thank you for taking up this task. I'm very proud to have a son like you."

Guren silently wept as he held tightly to Yuuichirou, who also cried. They only had half a month left together and they didn't know what to do with their remaining time.


	2. Chapter 2: Final Farewell

Chapter 2: Final Farewell

"A priestess shall arrive here in two days time. Her name is Yayoi Endou. Please allow her entrance into your lands, Guren-sama," Kureto says.

Guren nods. "Of course, Kureto-sama. I hope that you have a safe trip home."

"Thank you. We shall be leaving now."

As the Hiiragis turn to leave, Shinoa walks up to Yuu. She couldn't look him straight in the eyes anymore. "I'm sorry, Yuu-san."

Yuu smiled. "It's fine, Shinoa. You couldn't do anything about it. And besides, this whole thing is a huge honor! I'm glad I was chosen!"

Shinoa looked at him, unconvinced. Then she sighed. "Goodbye, Yuu-san."

"Yeah. See ya."

Shinoa turned to leave. She'd definitely miss hearing the strange things he always did from Shinya. Yuu watched as the Hiiragis got into their carriages and rode away. He felt Guren's arm around his shoulder. "Come on, let's have dinner, Yuu."

"Yeah."

* * *

Yayoi Endou, the priestess, finally arrived at the Ichinose castle. She was a plump woman who was shorter than Yuu. She had glasses and short, red hair. She also wore a red hakama with a white haori. She seems nice.

"It's nice to meet you, Yuuichirou-sama," she bowed.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Endou-san."

"Oh, you can just call me Yayoi! After all, we'll be spending the majority of our time together!"

"Alright then, Yayoi."

"So, you _do_ have a shrine, right? I know every clan has at least one."

"Yes, I'll show you to it."

"Alright, thank you very much, Yuuichirou-sama."

Yuu brought her to the very back of the castle. The Ichinose shrine was located behind the castle, in the large courtyard. The servants had brought Yayoi's things that she used as a priestess. Yuu and Yayoi walked into the big shrine. Yuu was ever only there for the New Years, praying for the next year to bring good to the Ichinoses with his father and Mito. They entered the main room and sat down. Yayoi pulled out a white kimono and handed it to Yuu. "Here, you must where this kimono during your training. You know why, right?"

"Yes. The color white symbolizes purity. The demon behind the seal will only accept virgins of purity."

"That's correct! Now please put it on and come back here and we'll get started, Yuuichirou-sama."

Yuu nodded and went into a seperate room to change. When he came back out, he noticed that Yayoi was setting items onto the floor. A knife used for rituals, a green candle, and a headpiece with small, gold lilies. He sat down in front on Yayoi. "May I ask what these are for?"

"Yes, I was about to go over the ritual with you, actually." She pointed to the candle. "You are required to light this candle when you are about to enter the valley, where the demon's shrine is, with the fire magic initiated by a Hiiragi. It really doesn't matter which Hiiragi, but can't be Shinya-sama, since he doesn't carry Hiiragi blood."

Then she motioned to the headpiece. "You will already have the headpiece on, but you are supposed to dance the ritual's dance while holding the candle. The dance is designed so that the candle won't go out, but we'll have to see about your training. This green candle is the real deal so we won't actually be using it. I have a regular candle right here." She takes it out of her bag to show Yuu. "See?" Yuu nods.

"Okay, after that, you'll place the candle in the center of the table inside the shrine. You will use this knife to cut your wrist. Don't cut too deep or too shallow. You will use your blood in order to put out the candle. The incense from the candle will spread throughout the shrine, summoning forth the demon. When that happens, you _must_ not run, or else the ritual will not work. I can trust you on that, right?"

"Yes. I promise I won't run," Yuu says.

 _"Well, that's what everyone says. Luckily, the demon is fast enough to grab 'em,"_ Yayoi thinks. She claps her hands together. "Now, let's get started! The night of the ritual will come faster than you think! But now you have to make another promise with me."

"What is it?"

"You can't tell anyone about your training. Not even your father or bodyguard."

"Alright. I promise. You can trust me."

"Good," Yayoi smiled.

* * *

The next coming days, Yuu diligently practiced the important dance with Yayoi. His feet became sore and his arms tired, but he kept persevering. He had to do this. Everyone was depending on him. And he didn't want to disappoint his father, who had encouraged him to take the job. He soon realized that the last day of the month was nearing quickly. There was one day where Guren and Mito had been curious as to what he's been up to. It was when he was reading poems in his room.

"You say your arms and feet feel sore. What is Endou even making you do?" Guren asked.

"Yeah, I'm curious, too, Yuuichirou-sama. Just what are you doing?" Mito said.

Yuu paused his reading and set the scroll down. He looked up at the two and said, "Father, Mito, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that this information is not something I can simply just share with you. It's so important. Once again, I am sorry."

Guren nodded. "I understand. I won't ask you of it again."

"Thank you, father."

Mito looked at Yuu with uncertainty, but nodded anyways. Yuu didn't feel good. He always shared everything with Guren and Mito, but this was the only thing he couldn't tell. He spent all his time in the Ichinose shrine with Yayoi. He ate there, slept there. She said that it would help him feel more spiritually connected, but he didn't feel anything spiritual at all. He only ate rice and soup, slept in the "cleanest" room, prayed to his ancestors every night and day. He wondered if he really needed to do these things, but he said nothing. It wasn't his place to protest.

A few days before the ritual, garments were sent to the Ichinoses from the Hiiragis. They were the clothing that Yuu were meant to wear during the ceremony. The outfit was similar to Yayoi's, just more inticrate with designs and red ribbons. There was also a long, red haori for him to wear. Yayoi asked him to try it on as soon as it arrived.

"It looks absolutely perfect on you!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks, Yayoi!"

* * *

"Kureto, I need to speak to you about something," Shinya said. He had rushed across the whole castle as soon as he heard the news. Kureto was sitting in his study, drinking his tea while sorting out some papers.

"Of course, brother. What must you speak of?"

"Yuuichirou Ichinose. Why did you choose him as the sacrifice? We already had a candidate."

"The candidate was my wife's sister. In order to win my wife's favor, I had to choose someone else. Yuuichirou was the best for second place. After all, he _did_ turn sixteen recently. It was perfect."

Shinya slammed his hands on the table. Kureto simply leaned back in his chair. "Knowing you, there must be some other reason behind your decision. I can't believe father even approved of it."

"He didn't have to. I briefly called an audience with him before we left for the Ichinose Clan. It was just the Council and father and I. You know he's getting old, so I demanded him to give the position of the head of the Hiiragi Clan to me. He gladly obliged."

"I can't believe this. Tell me what your plans are! What do you hope to achieve by doing this!"

"You'll find out in time, Shinya. Oh, and tell Shinoa that she will be the one to ignite the flame."

"She'll refuse. I know it, just like Mahiru did."

"Don't bring Mahiru into this!" Kureto yelled. "She was useless, always getting in my way from the start. She tried to protect that bastard. If it wasn't for her, then _he_ would've perished that night."

Shinya's glare just grew. He obviously didn't understand what Kureto was talking about, but he knew it wasn't good if he got upset over it so quickly.

"What are you talking about? Who is 'he?' Of what importance is 'he' to the Hiiragi clan and the ritual?"

Kureto sighed in frustration. He leaned back on his chair once again. "You don't need to know, Shinya. You're nothing. Just an outcast in the Hiiragi family. There's no need for you to get involved. Go to your room."

"Kureto, don't order me around like this. I have about as much power as you do."

"That's what you think. You had better get going now. Oh, and please tell Shinoa that she will be the one to ignite the ritual's flame. That night is drawing near."

Shinya left without another word. He nearly slammed the door, but he closed it gently with fear of angering his older brother. Who was "he" and what did Mahiru, his deceased fiancé, have anything to do with "him."

* * *

The third to last day of October finally arrived. Yuu finally felt the unsettling fear and nervousness set in. But he had to be strong and he had to be fearless, like his father. As he was about to leave for the Hiiragi lands, his father held him in his arms tightly. "I'll miss you so much, Yuu."

"I know, Dad. I will, too."

Guren patted him on the back and smiled. "Just make sure it's a success."

"Sure thing."

Mito was crying horribly behind Guren. Goshi held her, whispering soothing things to her. Yuu wanted to cry, too. But there was no more room for any tears. He had to go. Even some of the servants were crying. He gave them all a small smile and bowed to them all. Yuu turned and walked down the steps of the castle and to the carriage parking. Yayoi was already sitting inside. He climbed in and the carriage began to move. He waved goodbye to his father until he could no longer see his figure. Yuu sighed. He felt Yayoi rest her hand on his in a reassuring manner.

"I understand that you must be sad, Yuuichirou-sama. But think about how many people you are helping by doing this! You are helping thousands, millions!"

"Yeah, I am," Yuu said, smiling sadly.

The time that they had taken to travel to the Hiiragi clan's lands, no words were shared. Yuu had tried to chat with Yayoi briefly, but she shot him down with short answers. He looked out the window most of the time. He saw the passing buildings and people thin as they began to further travel into the countryside. He had never been outside the city before. He gradually began to fall asleep as time began to pass.

When Yuu awoke, it was already sunset. He leaned his head out of the carriage window. Yuu squinted as the sun's light met his eyes. It was setting right behind a pair of hills. He could already see the stars. He was wide awake at the moment and continued to watch the sky changes its colors and the sun set. Yayoi was fast asleep. She was snoring quietly.

The moon was high in the sky when they reached the Hiiragi's palace. Kureto was waiting for Yuu and Yayoi on the steps leading to the large doors of the palace. The Hiiragi's palace was far more elaborate than the Ichinose's. Yuu looked up at the golden dragons adorning the entrance of the palace. The palace towered over the whole city it was probably the brightest building one could ever see. There were also many cherry blossoms, obviously much more than in the Ichinose lands. It was clear that the Hiiragis were very wealthy and powerful.

As Yuu and Yayoi climbed the front steps towards Kureto, he bowed. Yuu and Yayoi did the same. "Welcome to my home, Yuuichirou-sama. It is an honor to have you, as the night of the ritual is growing near. Please, follow me and I shall show you to your room."

"I give you my greatest thanks, Kureto-sama."

Kureto turned and entered the palace, Yuu and Yayoi following close behind. There was a line of servants bowing to them as they walked further into the entrance hall. Dragons seemed to be an important symbol as Yuu saw multiple statues of dragons around the place, both large and small. They had climbed many stairs and walked through many hallways until they arrived to Yuu's room. Yuu had completely lost track on how to get to his room. Kureto had allowed Yuu and Yayoi in the bedroom.

"Yayoi, your room is next to his on the left."

"Alright, thank you, Kureto-sama."

He nodded. "Dinner will be ready within an hour so please be ready when I send a servant to escort you two down."

Kureto then left. Yuu finally took a good look at his new room. Nothing in the palace did not seem to amaze him. It was larger than his own father's bedroom. He had a balcony overlooking the brightly lit city below him. Along a segment of one of the walls was a bookcase. Yuu walked over to it amazed.

"Yayoi, this is amazing! They actually have books here! All I've ever been able to read from were simple scrolls. Making books are very expensive. They probably have a room filled with books. Dad said those rooms were called libraries."

"Yes, it is amazing. I hear these books were chosen specifically for you."

Yuu picked up and book and flipped through it. He set in back on the shelf andwent to sit on his new bed, but felt as though he could sink into the sheets and never get out. "Whoa! What the...? Why's bd like this. This's weird..."

"Yuuichirou-sama, your stay here is to make sure that you are comfortable as possible before the night of the ritual. So please use things in this room as you please."

"Hm, alright then."

The covers on the bed her the softest silk he had ever felt. As Yayoi went to the closet to put away his ceremonial kimono and haori, Yuu decided to see what else the room had to offer. There was a door off to the side of the room. He went to open it and found out that he had his own bath. He could see the steam coming from the water. There were even different scented incenses to accommodate him while he bathed. He smiled. He exited his private bath and looked at the paintings hanging on the walls. There were even beautiful paintings on the high ceiling of his room. He found a table in the middle of his room and saw that an assortment of treats and candies were set there. There were surprisingly his favorites.

A servant soon came to his room, holding a tray with tea and two cups. She set them onto the table and left. Yayoi poured herself and Yuu a cup of tea. Yuu felt that this was all weird. They knew so much about him, yet he had only met the Hiiragis a few times. Nonetheless, Yuu enjoyed everything that had been set for him.

Yuu had another cup of tea while Yayoi went to read a book. After he finished it, the same servant knocked on his door. She bowed. "Yuuichirou-sama, Yayoi-sama, dinner is finished and ready to be served. Please follow me."

They both followed the servant as they ascended a few flights of stairs and turned into a large banquet room. Everything in the Hiiragi palace was so new to Yuu. Because the Hiiragis were so rich, anything Yuu had in his home was nothing compared to what he sees. Though, the Ichinoses were fairly wealthy, they didn't even have a banquet table to use every single day. An elderly man was sitting at the end of the long table. Yuu had absolutely no idea who he was, but he didn't dare do anything brisk in front of the man. He had a guess that he was the Hiiragi clan leader. Kureto and Shinoa was already in their seats. They had to wait for Shinya and... Yuu couldn't remember who the other was. All he knew was that he was another one of Shinoa's older brothers.

As Yuu sat down, he cast a quick glance towards Shinoa's way. She wasn't even looking at him. She had her eyes down with a grim expression. Yuu didn't know what was up, but he knew not to say anything. As soon as Shinya arrived, he gave Yuu a quick smile before sitting. Yuu didn't dare return it. It was so unsafe to do so in the presence of someone so important, in case he accidentally angers them. Guren and Mito carefully instructed him themselves about proper manners. Shinoa's other brother entered the banquet hall. The servants then began serving the food to them.

As they ate, Yuu realized that dinner tasted very good, but not as good as in the his own home. The flavor was much more rich and the presentation was much better. The two went hand in hand to create a perfect meal. He remembered that Guren always nearly killed the chef in order to have the kitchen for himself to make dinner. Yuu remembers that his father always made enough for the whole palace to have enough to eat. He was such a good cook. He soon retired to his room after eating. Though, he had a long nap on the way there, he fell asleep quickly as the bed sheets were so comfortable.

* * *

Over the two days he spent in comfort, he began to feel honor and bravery well up in his heart. The sun had already set and Yayoi carefully went over everything he had learnt to ensure that the ritual works. After that he had changed into his ceremonial garments. He was then escorted to a carriage. Shinoa was waiting inside.

"Shinoa."

She looked at Yuu as he settled into the seat across from her. "What is it?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Coming with me to the valley. I feel much more comfortable with you here," Yuu smiled.

"... Your welcome, I guess. Yuu-san, I'm just sad. Sad that you were chosen. If you weren't chosen as the sacrifice, you would've lived to become a great leader for the Ichinose clan."

"Hey, don't worry. You've got Makoto-sama. He'll take good care of you, I know it."

Shinoa nodded sadly. The carriage began to move. Yayoi had told him that it would take at least an hour to arrive at the valley. She looked out the window and up at the moon. The last day of October always had a full moon. Yuu finally realized that Shinoa was absolutely beautiful under the light of the moon. He began to wonder if he even thought of her as a friend anymore.

"I don't want to marry Makoto-sama," Shinoa muttered quietly.

"Pardon?"

"Yuu-san, I don't want to marry Makoto-sama," she said more boldly, turning to look at him.

"You don't?"

"No. There's someone else I'm in love with."

"Really? Then... Who's this person you're in love with?"

"Her name is Mitsuba. She belongs to the Sanguu clan, east from here."

"Oh, her."

"Yes, her. Though, she's now my sister-in-law, now that my oldest brother, Kureto, has gotten married to her older sister, Aoi. We've spent our childhood playing with each other and just hanging out since Aoi would always come over to be with Kureto-nii. They were engaged, after all."

She smiled softly at the thought of Mitsuba. She fell quiet. "Does anyone know?"

"Just you and Shin-nii."

"Hmm. Why don't you just tell Makoto-sama. Surely he'll understand."

She shook her head. "Don't you know I can't do that? I feel that I have a duty now. I may not want to marry as an individual, but as a daughter of the Hiiragi clan, I will do so. You're lucky, Yuu-san. Guren-sama wants you to know about the world before you marry. I sometimes wish that he was my own father. Life isn't that kind, you know it."

Yuu then was the one whose mouth closed abruptly. He had never felt that he had any real responsibility other than training to become the next head of the Ichinose clan when his father began to tire of it. He was never asked to do anything other than that. It was then he finally had a glimpse of the world Shinoa lived in. It was so different than his, and so unfair.

There were no words spoken as they neared the valley where the demon resided. Shinoa and Yuu excite the carriage and began their trek up the large hill. They stopped on top of it. Yuu pulled out the green candle used in the ritual and placed the headpiece on his head. Just as about Shinoa was going to light the flame, Yuu said gently, "Thanks for everything. I hope you live a long happy life."

Shinoa was slightly stunned. The Yuu she knew was never so serious. Just always playing around, enjoying life, unlike her. Tears began to form in her eyes. She looked up at him and said, "Your welcome. And thank you, Yuu-san."

With a snap of her fingers, a small flame formed on the tip of her finger. She passed it over the wick of the candle. The candle was lit and Yuu began walking down the side of the hill. He didn't look back. Shinoa watched his figure descend into the valley. She soon turned away and walked back to the carriage waiting for her.

Yuu was on his own now. He was careful not to let the small breeze blow out the candle on the way down. He entered the wooden shrine. There were fuda placed all over the shrine, inside and out. It was also very dark, making fear settle in the pit of Yuu's stomach. It looked pretty creepy inside. He saw that there was a table in the middle of the room. That was where he was supposed to place the candle, after performing the dance.

He moved his feet across the wooden floor and raised his arms. He allowed them to flow with the music playing inside his head. The candle flickered. Yuu went a bit slower as to not ruin the dance sequence. He finally finished the dance. The air in the shrine was heavier than before. He placed the candle onto the table and took out the knife and slid the blade across his wrist, just as he was instructed to. He let his blood drip onto the candle. The smoke from the candle filled both his nostrils and the room with its strong scent.

Suddenly, the shrine was filled with thick, purple smoke. Yuu saw a figure behind the smoke, just barely. He could see red eyes glowing brightly behind the smokescreen.


	3. Chapter 3: The Demon, Mikaela Shindo

Hey guys! I just to say that I'm really sorry for not updating sooner! School has been filling up my time (I mean, procrastination, too). Anyways.

Thank you all so much for leaving such kind reviews! Another thank you for following and favoriting my fanfiction! I hope you all enjoy this chapter of Demon of the Moon!

* * *

Chapter 3: The Demon, Mikaela Shindo

Yuu rubbed his eyes. The smoke was really getting to him. But he knew that the smoke had some magical elements to it. The figure began to move toward him. He felt the chill down his spine, the pit in his stomach, sweat rolling down his face, the horrible dizziness. He could feel his eyes well up in tears as well.

Yuu wanted to run, but it would be against Yayoi's promise. He couldn't break it. So he tried to calm himself down as the figure got closer and closer. He went to the nearest wall and leaned up against it. He started taking deep breaths while putting his hand up to his chest, trying to calm his beating heart. It got closer and closer until he could make out the silhouette of a man with long, wavy hair.

He could see the hands of the demon reach out for him. Its nails were quite long. _"Perhaps for feeding on its prey,"_ Yuu thought. Suddenly, those hands wrapped themselves around Yuu's body. He could feel the warmth of a body pressed up against him. He felt the tears fall from his eyes and his light-headedness got to him. He slowly fell unconscious.

* * *

Yuu woke up to a bright light. He cracked his eyes open and brought his hands up to rub them. There was a candle light. And his head was layed down on someone's lap. That person was softly combing his hair with their hands. He feel the soft scraping of their nails against his scalp. And they were humming a tune quietly. A tune that he recognized all too well. That tune came from his very childhood. His mother used to sing that song for him, before she passed away.

He slowly lifted his head. The person stopped humming abruptly. Yuu gazed up at the person. It was a man. He had such long, blonde hair. It was wavy and disheveled, trailing down his back. And those red eyes. They shined perfectly in the dim candle light. There were also two small horns protruding from the man's forehead. He smiled gently down at Yuu.

Yuu gasped and bolted away. He pushed himself away from the man that turned out to be the demon. The wall suddenly hit the wall behind him. The demon suddenly frowned at him. Yuu was breathily heavily. He was confused. Why hadn't the demon eaten him yet?

The demon slowly stood up. He had a sad expression. Yuu still didn't understand what was going on. He walked over to Yuu and knelt down in front of him. He raised his hand and caressed Yuu's cheek. Yuu flinched and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt the demon hug him, like once before.

"So you don't remember?" he spoke.

Yuu's eyes grew wide. He pushed himself away from the demon not too harshly. He looked into the demon's eyes.

"... Remember what?" Yuu asked, nearly above a whisper.

"Me. You don't remember me?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! A-Aren't you the demon!? Why didn't you eat me?" Yuu said sporadically.

Yuu began to feel panic inside his chest. What if the demon decided on something worse?

"Yuu-chan, you need to calm down. I won't hurt you. Ever."

"What...?"

Yuu could feel light-headed again. He leaned onto the demon without knowing. The demon wrapped his arms around Yuu's body. Yuu let him.

"I'm sorry I left you all alone. It couldn't be helped. I'm sure you were very lonely," the demon whispered.

"What... Are you saying?" Yuu said.

"Ten years ago, we had met. It was the day your mother had died. You were so sad. You had wandered so far from home and I had found you, crying in the empty meadows."

Yuu listened quietly. The demon's voice was surprisingly soothing. Somehow, it was mother-like. The demon's slender fingers wove through Yuu's hair gently as he spoke. He continued. "You had been the first human who didn't run. In fact, you had called me beautiful. I was so flattered. Don't you remember that night?"

The demon hugged Yuu tighter. He gently pushed away from the demon and looked into the blood-red eyes. Yuu pursed his lips. He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I-I sort of do. But I still don't understand."

The demon had a relieved expression. He suddenly started to laugh quietly, trying to hold it in. It confused Yuu. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry, it's just your eyes. They are so big, just as they had been long ago. I've missed you so much. Even if it had only been a short time, I'm glad you're my friend. I'm Mikaela Shindo. Does that ring a bell?"

Yuu furrowed his eyebrows in thought. Suddenly, there was a sort of light that went of in his head. He recalled mostly all the memories of Mikaela. He _had_ met Mikaela during that time. But how? Wasn't the demon always locked here, inside this shrine?

"H-how did you get out?"

"From where?" Mikaela inquired.

"This shrine! The fuda are there to keep you in."

"I used everything in my power to break them. It would take so long, about five years, to break with my own power. They would always replace them. It just so happened I was able to break out and meet you."

Mikaela, the demon, was powerful enough to break Hiiragi fuda? A mere human wouldn't be able to deal with such power the fuda holds. Despite his overall fear, Yuu was seemingly calm after hearing this. That was how he was able to meet Mikaela, after all.

"How about start things off small?" Mika asked.

"Uh, sure..."

"I'll use my powers to transfer everything from your past with me into your mind. Surely, everything will be alright then."

Yuu wasn't sure about "transferring" anything into his head right now. With the shock and weariness from seeing Mika, he just wanted to sleep, now that he knew that it was safe. He still didn't know if Mika was really that "person" from back then. Yuu rubbed his eyes while saying, "Maybe later...? I'm tired right now."

The demon chuckled. "Of course. Lay your head here."

Mika patted his lap and Yuu reluctantly rested his head on Mika's thighs. He didn't even know what time it was or what happened when he was gone, but now wasn't the time. Soon enough, he fell asleep soundly.

* * *

 _Yuu opened his eyes. He sat up, realizing he was in a filed filled with grass and wildflowers. It was a night and there was a full moon in the sky. And as he raised his hands, he realized that his body was smaller._

 _"What's going on?" he asked himself. Yuu gasped. Even his voice was higher. Suddenly a rush of sadness hit him and tears began to flow. This was around the time his mother died. Yuu remembered how it hurt to not be able to see his mother, not even for one last time. He wiped tried to wipe his tears away, but they wouldn't stop flowing._

 _Yuu felt a hand rest on his right shoulder. He looked up to see a man. He was beautiful, the most beautiful person Yuu has ever seen. The man had short, wavy hair. It was a bright blonde color and he had such pale skin. But the most noticeable thing was the man's eyes. They were red. Red as blood._

 _"Why are you crying, little one?"_

 _Yuu wiped his tears away to respond to the man. Or rather, demon. His father had told him countless time to run away from people with red eyes because those people were supposedly demons who take the form of humans. The only thing they cannot change is their eye color._

 _But he wasn't afraid of this demon. Something about him... Was just so peaceful. Like he was actually concerned for Yuu. This was hardly normal for a demon._

 _"My mother died today. Father said she was very sick and the doctors couldn't do anything to help her."_

 _"..."_

 _The demon sat next to Yuu and patted his head lightly. "Even though your mother is gone, she is still by your side. Everything will be okay," the demon said smiling._

 _"...father isn't."_

 _"He's probably as sad as you are. You both just need some time to move on and you'll both be fine. After all, miracles can happen."_

 _Yuu wanted to know more. More about this demon who didn't kill him. He was so interesting. So odd. So abnormal. He looked up once again at those deep red eyes and said, "What's your name? Mine is Yuuichirou Ichinose. I live in that castle, see?"_

 _He pointed at the far away palace. The demon chuckled. "My, are you a prince? My name is Mikaela Shindo, a Demon of the Moon."_

 _"A Demon of the Moon?"_

 _"Yes. I was born during a full moon."_

 _"Your name... It's very pretty."_

 _"Thank you. I like your name as well."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yes. Let's play a game."_

 _"What game?"_

 _"Onigokko. Have you ever played it?"_

 _"Yeah! I played it with my mom and dad a lot! But, the only people playing are us. It won't be that fun then."_

 _"Then let's play Hide-and-Seek while playing Onigokko. You can be the demon. I hide and when you find me, you have to chase me, and then I'll become the demon,"_

 _"But you're already the demon!" Yuu laughed._

 _Mika laughed as well. "I'll let you be the demon this time. It'll be more fun!"_

 _"Okay!"_

* * *

The room was the same. Everything was the same. The atmosphere was still thick as when he first entered the shrine. It was still dark and the light purple smoke still hung low in the room. It was still a dreary, old temple that had a demon residing inside it.

Yuu was lying down on a colorful, blue haori. Mika was wearing it, but where did he go? And the candle that was once lit was no longer in the room as well. Was it even the same room as before? Yuu didn't know.

He got up and realized that the room was quite chilly. He slipped the haori on and opened the door to see a hallway. The hallway led outside. Outside? Wasn't this a shrine? There were stairs leading to the ground. All Yuu could see from the stairs of the hallway was a black, empty void. The color of the environment became a more purple color as well. What was going on? This definitely wasn't the human world anymore. He had to find Mika.

Yuu continued down the hallway until he turned to another hallway leading deeper into the shrine. Walked and walked for what seemed like hours until he found a door unlike all the others he passed. He rested his hand on the door. The magic binding the door was strong. Yuu never felt anything like it before. He could tell that if his father and amigo had not been training him for years, he could've died from the dark magic. Someone or something was behind this door.

He decided that it would be in his best interest if he didn't try to open the door clearly meant to keep something in. But what if Mika was inside? This amount of power _is_ enough to belong to a demon, but Yuu wasn't familiar with how Mika's power worked. And he didn't want to know. Ever.

What should he do then? Wait for him to come to Yuu? Try to find him? The shrine was an awfully lot bigger than what it looked. But the again, Yuu was pretty sure they weren't in the human world anymore. Suddenly he heard a voice.

"Are you Yuu-chan? What are you doing out here?"

The voice made Yuu jump and even scream a little. "Where are you!? Who are you!?"

"Behind you," the voice said. Yuu jumped away again. It was the face of a Hannya mask. It was a girl with long, pink hair. She was also wearing a black kimono. She was giggling.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Krul," she said still giggling. The girl was pretty short and reminded Yuu of how Shinoa would tease and laugh at him.

"Krul...?"

"You should be more quiet around here. It's a bit dangerous."

"W-why? Is it because of someone, or something behind that door?"

"Yes. This is Mikaela Shindo's room. He locked himself in here."

"Why did he do that?"

"..."

"Huh? Why aren't you-"

Suddenly, a loud roar was heard from behind the door. The roar was so reverberating it shook the whole shrine. While Yuu had covered his ears from the deafening roar, he had also fallen down in the process. When the roaring had stopped, Yuu had noticed tha Krul had not moved inch from where she stood. She started to laugh.

Yuu glared at her and stood up. "What's going one? And stop laughing at me!"

And she did stop. She rested her arms at her side. "He's hungry."

"Mika's hungry? What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I mean. He hasn't eaten in twenty years. Can you even imagine that? No, of course not. You're only human, after all. I'll warn you again. If you don't want to die by his hands, you'd better leave this place."

"I don't know where I'm supposed to go. Am I just going to stay here forever?"

"You should get rid of those clothing, as well. I'll bring you back to the room you were in before. I'll try to find something to entertain you with and I'll try to find you some new clothes. And do not leave that room. Let's go."

"Wait, there's still some explaining for you to do! I want to know what's-"

"You want to know everything. I'll tell you later if Mikaela doesn't. Hurry up."

Krul turned around and stampeded heading down the hallway. Yuu was sure that she was a yokai of some sort. He didn't know if she herself was dangerous. But he had no choice but to follow Krul back to the room.

"Stay here," she said as soon as Yuu had walked into the room. He sat down and removed the haori. He looked thoughtfully at the cloth. It was made of satin, a haori fit for a king. Yuu sighed in frustration. He suddenly remembered that he had given it to Mika when he was younger. He wasn't thinking back then, because it was one of Guren's favorite. Guren soon forgot about it when Yuu had started crying. The color and design matched Mika's beautiful hair perfectly.

Suddenly, another though had crossed Yuu's mind. If Mika had played an important role in his life, then why couldn't Yuu remember him when he first saw him? Did Mika erase his memory, did Guren do it? He'd have to ask Mika when he sees him.

"Hey."

"Oh, Krul you're back."

"Yep. Put this on, that outfit you have on is really bugging me."

"Uh, okay. Could you, like, step out of the room?"

"Sure, whatever."

As soon as the garments he removed pooled onto the floor, it had busted into purple flames until it had burned to nothing. Yuu jumped back. This world he was in was odd. It was crazy. The kimono Krul gave him was a dark green. He slipped it on and tied the sash around his waist. He also put the haori back on,

"You can come in now," he called to Krul. She slid open the door an walked in.

"Why don't you sit down. I know you're confused. After all, Mikaela had brought you to the demon world without your consent."

"Wait. What. The demon world!?"

"Sit. Down." Krul had to forcefully make him sit by pushing his shoulders downward.

"God, why are you so tall?"

"Why are you so short?"

"Hmph. I'm being nice to you. I could've played mean tricks on you, but I didn't. Now, have any questions?"

"What the hell is wrong with Mika!?"

"Mikaela will tell you. It isn't my place to do so. I can only tell you so much."

"Well, what can you tell me?"

"I can tell you where we are. We're in the demon world. As you saw outside, it's just a black void. If you try to walk through it, it'll just leave you back here."

"Why? How?"

"This shrine is a special shrine. It is different than you humans have to house gods. These shrines are used to keep demons in. The amount of fuda you saw in the human world restrains the demon living here, which is Mikaela. After all, the demon world is only a mirrored version of the human world.

"You're one of the few lucky people to actually visit the demon world."

"D-did Mika bring me here?" Yuu sweated.

Krul nodded. "He's supposed to be the only one here, but I happened to be an unlucky demon and be bound here as well."

Suddenly, she stood up. "Well, this is all I can tell you for now."

"What!? You can't just leave! Not yet. I still have so many questions."

"I've told you before, it isn't my place to tell should get some sleep. It'll be a while until Mikaela's finished." And she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

Yuu grumbled. He didn't like to wait and he didn't like to be bored either. The smoke in the shrine made him sleepy anyways. He should definitely get some sleep.

* * *

 _Yuu woke up once again. In the same field, at midnight. He felt a presence behind him. It was Mika. He had longer hair now. How much time passed?_

 _"Hey, Yuu-chan. Sorry for making you wait. Things haven't been going very well on my end," Mika said as he smiled sadly._

 _Yuu turned to him. "What are you talking about?" he questioned._

 _"I... I may have to go soon."_

 _"You're gonna have to go? Go where? When?"_

 _Mika sat next to Yuu and looked up at the sky. "Just soon. I'll miss you, you know. I've enjoyed these three years we've spent together."_

 _"Wait, are you, like, never coming back or something?"_

 _"Yeah. I may only be able to see you tomorrow night, to say goodbye."_

 _"But, we... We didn't spend enough time together!"_

 _"It's only for your safety that I have to leave."_

 _Yuu suddenly stood up in a rush. Tears were already filling his eyes. "You can't go!"_

 _Mika looked up at him with sad eyes. He stood up as well and placed his hands on Yuu's shoulders. He smiled. "I gotten so close to you, that I feel as if I could tell you everything that's going on. They'll probably come soon, because they know about me. But please try to remember who I am."_

 _"Mika, what-"_

 _Yuu opened his eyes. He was in his soft bed. The morning light was pouring into his room, reflecting off the marble floor. But where was Mika? Wasn't Yuu with him? He was outside, in the field away from the castle. He heard a knock at the door. It was Mito._

 _"Yuu-sama, good morning. The Hiiragis are visiting us today. Please get ready."_


End file.
